📮 Postal deadlines for Christmas in Finland: cards and parcels — dates, prices, sizes, "plan B", map of locations
If you want to send warm cards and gifts "just in time for Christmas", below is my quick but very detailed guide: exact deadlines for 2025, current prices for stamps and parcels, sizes and weights, what to do if you are late, plus an interactive map with convenient drop-off points. Every December, I write these dates down in my notes — now I'm sharing the same "battle-tested" checklist with you, only in a more attractive format.
Reader comment
"We decided to send postcards within Finland for the first time — the 'red' Christmas stamp and the 11 December deadline worked. Leave a margin for international mail: Europe leaves earlier than it seems."
— Elena Popa, Espoo
How Christmas deadlines work in Finland
In December, the logic is simple: the cheaper and slower the service, the earlier the deadline. There are two types of stamps for domestic letters: the regular kotimaan ikimerkki and the special Christmas Joulutervehdys (the red one). Within the EU and beyond, Priority/Economy (for letters) and schedules for parcels play a key role.
To avoid confusion, keep three things in mind:
● Domestic postcards "by red" — until 11 December.
● Regular letters within Finland — around 16 December (taking into account the time it takes to empty the post boxes).
● Parcels within the country — guideline 19 December (with reservations regarding delivery type and small print).
These three points cover 80% of scenarios for family and friends in Finland. Everything else is listed in the tables below.
Postcards and letters in Finland: dates and prices
Use this as your planning ”skeleton”: key deadlines, prices and the small details that decide whether your mail arrives on time.
📮 Domestic postcards and letters
Christmas greetings and ordinary letters within Finland – when to drop them into the box and how many stamps you need.
| What you send | Deadline (2025) | Price / conditions | Where to drop it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christmas card Joulutervehdys (within Finland) | Thursday 11 December (until the box is emptied) | Stamp €1.70 (Christmas tree / red icon) | Any letterbox / post office |
| Letter / postcard within Finland (basic stamp) | Tuesday 16 December (according to the box emptying time) | Stamp €2.75 (max 50 g) | Letterbox / post office slot |
| Online postcard by Posti (printed and delivered) | Mon 15 December (service estimate) | from €4.71 / card | Online service / mobile app |
| Express letter (domestic priority) | Fri 19 December or Mon 22 December (after route check) | from €13.35 online / €17.80 at the post office | Post office (on the delivery route) |
Weight and number of stamps (domestic): up to 50 g — 1 stamp (€2.75), up to 250 g — 2 stamps, up to 1 kg — 4 stamps, up to 2 kg — 6 stamps. Max letter size: 25 × 35.3 × 3 cm, minimum size: 9 × 14 cm.
📦 Parcels in Finland: delivery times & types
When presents travel as parcels, deadlines are a bit later – but storage time at pick-up points is short.
| Type | Last posting date (2025) | Price from | Size / weight (short) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small parcel XXS (fits in letterbox) | Tuesday 16 December | €6.90 | max 3 × 25 × 35 cm, ≤ 2 kg |
| Parcel S / M / L (to parcel locker / post office) | Friday 19 December | €8.90 / €10.90 / €14.50 | S: 11 × 32 × 42; M: 19 × 36 × 60; L: 37 × 36 × 60; ≤ 25 kg |
| Home delivery ”by agreement” | Thursday 18 December (preferably earlier) | According to the “Home” price list | ≤ 25 kg; delivery time agreed separately |
| If the recipient’s phone number is missing (letter notification) | Fri 12 December | + extra service “letter notification” | — |
Storage time: parcels are usually kept at the post office or pick-up point for 5 days (you can often extend this in OmaPosti for a small fee). Handy if the recipient has already left to visit family.
✈️ International: Europe / EEA / rest of world
For international mail the Christmas rush starts early. Europe is still fine in early December – the rest of the world needs more buffer time.
| Destination | Letters / cards — Economy | Letters / cards — Priority | Parcels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denmark | Fri 28 Nov | Mon 8 Dec | — |
| Scandinavia (except Denmark) | Fri 5 Dec | Thu 11 Dec | Tue 16 Dec |
| Baltic countries | Fri 5 Dec | Thu 11 Dec | Tue 16 Dec |
| Europe | Wed 3 Dec | Tue 9 Dec | Wed 10 Dec |
| Other countries | Fri 21 Nov | Fri 28 Nov | Wed 3 Dec |
International stamps (letters / cards): up to 20 g — Priority €3.05, Economy €2.75. Then stepwise for 50 /
100 / 250 / 500 / 1000 / 2000 g. Within Europe it’s typically cheaper than to the “rest of the world”.
Tip: if you’re sending mail to North America or Asia, don’t delay – even Priority items leave much earlier
than those to Europe. Also check each country’s restrictions (e.g. cosmetics, lithium batteries).
Size and weight: what counts as a letter and what counts as a parcel
Letter/card — up to 2 kg, 25 × 35.3 × 3 cm maximum (minimum 9 × 14 cm). If you exceed even one of these dimensions, it is considered a parcel.
XXS parcel — up to 2 kg, maximum 3 × 25 × 35 cm. Large sizes — S/M/L/XL/XXL (up to 25 kg) — are more convenient to take to a parcel terminal/post office.
Where to drop off: map of locations and convenient addresses
I have collected several reference points in large cities and added a map. This is enough to plan an evening outing "with postcards and a blanket".
Examples of addresses (to make it easier in the navigator):
● Helsinki: Posti Helsinki 10, Elielinaukio 2 F, 00100 (full service post office near the train station). Parcel locker in Kamppi, level E.
● Tampere: Points/postal machines in the Ratina area (Vuolteenkatu 1) and in shopping districts — convenient opening hours.
● Turku: Posti in K‑Citymarket Länsikeskus, Markulantie 150 (long opening hours, parking).
To find the nearest parcel machines and partner locations, use the postcode search in the OmaPosti app — it's the fastest way to find "the one" near your home or work.
If you're running late: express solutions and "plan B"
● Within Finland. Check Pikakirje (express letter) and XXS parcel; often in the last week, this is more reliable than waiting for a regular stamp.
● Europe/world. If the deadlines for letters have already passed, send a parcel (parcels sometimes have deadlines that are several days longer).
● Online postcards (printed and delivered for you) — a lifesaver in the city and across the country.
● Is the recipient travelling? Link the delivery to a parcel terminal: the code will be sent to the app, regardless of when they are at home.
● Check the public holidays when there is no delivery: 24–26 December and 1 January there is no regular daytime delivery — allow for extra time.
Gifts from/outside the EU: customs clearance, €45 limit
If you are receiving a gift from outside the EU, remember the €45 threshold: above this amount, VAT and a processing fee will be charged during customs clearance. Up to €45 — no VAT/fee. You can clear customs at OmaPosti or through Tulli (Finnish Customs).
For international parcels sent by you, when you purchase an online label, the service will generate a CN declaration; fill it in in English or in the language of the destination country. Separate rules apply to the Åland Islands (the customs "perimeter" is different from mainland Finland).
If you found this material useful, share it with your friends, save it for the season, and write in the comments which delivery routes/parcel terminals are most convenient for you. I will add your tips to the map and widgets — it will be even easier for the next reader to avoid being late with their warm parcels.
FAQ
Aim for Thursday, 11 December. This is a special "red" stamp at a reduced price, which is only valid during the season and only within the country.
As a rule, until Tuesday, 16 December, according to the mailbox emptying schedule. If you are late, consider using express mail or parcel delivery.
A safe guideline is Friday, 19 December for standard parcels to parcel terminals/collection points. Small XXS parcels — until 16 December.
Yes, in large hubs, there are extended hours on weekdays and weekends. The central Posti Helsinki 10 office traditionally has extended hours in December. In shopping centres and supermarkets (Kamppi, Ratina, K-Citymarket), parcel terminals are available for longer.
There is no daytime delivery on 24–26 December and 1 January. This is important to consider if you are sending something at the last minute.
Domestic: €1.70 (Christmas card), €2.75 (standard stamp up to 50 g). Abroad: Priority €3.05 (up to 20 g), Economy €2.75 (up to 20 g). For heavier items — 50/100/250/... g increments.
If it exceeds 25 × 35.3 × 3 cm or weighs more than 2 kg, it is a parcel. It is more convenient to send it to a parcel terminal/point.
The system will send a code/notification to the app — the parcel can be picked up without any paperwork. If there is no phone number, enable paper notification, but the deadline for such shipments is earlier.
The threshold is €45: above that, VAT and a processing fee are charged upon declaration. You can register at OmaPosti or through customs. Separate internal declaration rules apply to Åland.
Santa Claus' Main Post Office on the Arctic Circle has a special stamp. The address is Tähtikuja 1, Napapiiri, Rovaniemi; it is open every day in December.
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